Invest in Youth Development
Our Vision: Empower the next generation of women with the skills, confidence, and networks to lead unapologetically.
About Young Women of Toledo
Our YWOT Initiative offers a comprehensive youth development pipeline serving young women ages 12 to 26. Through mentorship, skill-building, and cross-sector collaboration, the organization equips young people, particularly those who have experienced barriers to opportunity, with the confidence, clarity, and practical tools needed to navigate education systems, career pathways, and civic life.
YWOT Core Values
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Strength: Affirmed and strengthened in a caring circle, gain esteem, confidence, and power to live according to their true values.
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Purpose: By participating in meaningful, gender-relevant discussions and capacity-building activities, women reinforce their vital roles within the community and society.
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Growth: Young Women grow through and toward relationships as they share diverse strengths and capabilities that shape their lives and their communities.
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Skills: Through discussions and creative social activities, women address and build skills in the areas of relationships, self-care, clarifying purpose, goal setting, money, conflicts, skills in work and professional life, and more.
Objectives
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Expand Girls Hub and LeadHerWay to reach more middle school, high school, and college-aged young women.
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Broaden mentorship access through intergenerational connections and peer-to-peer learning.
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Integrate STEAM education, financial literacy, and civic engagement into all youth programs.
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Establish a Young Women’s Advisory Board to elevate youth voices in program design and leadership.
Seeking mentorship?
Mentorships are the key driver of success, yet many young women especially people of color have a harder time finding mentors, especially ones with influence. The goal of each session is for our Mentors and Mentees to fully capitalize on the opportunity and ability to connect, communicate and collaborate with more women and influential leaders in our community. “You can’t be what you can’t see”, said Motivational speaker, Jay Shetty. This session can be in a one-on-one session or group setting.
Frequently Asked Question
Who is your target Youth?
We serve and welcome ALL Girls and Young Women, ages 12 to 26 in the Northwest Ohio & Southeast Michigan areas. Our program focus to serve intersectional, and BIPOC, and working to also provide a welcoming 'brave space' for non-binary and gender expansive youth.
We define BIPOC as people of color, we include Black/African American, African, Indigenous, Latinx, multi-racial, Asian, Asian American, Caribbean, Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern, North African, and Arab girls and their communities.
For more questions contact our Youth Coordinator at ywot@womenoftoledo.org!
Our Priorities
EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES
Empowering communities builds collective resilience. And resilience is like a muscle that you can build.
IMPROVING THE IQ, EI, AND CQ
Helping improve our youth's Intelligent Quotient (IQ), Emotional Intelligent (EI), and Consciousness (CQ)
CREATING BRAVE SPACE OF BELONGING
We take pride in creating safe spaces and we ensure that everything said in our circles are confidential.
ADVANCING CAREER PATHS
We are equipped with career development programs and mentorship services!
Our Program Funders and Supporters
